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Updated: May 28, 2026
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The Motivation for Alcohol Reward: Predictors of Progressive-Ratio Intravenous Alcohol Self-Administration in Humans
Published on: April 28, 2022
Alcohol misuse and violent behavior: findings from a 30-year longitudinal study.
Joseph M Boden1, David M Fergusson, L John Horwood
1Christchurch Health and Development Study, Department of Psychological Medicine, University of Otago, Christchurch School of Medicine and Health Sciences, New Zealand. joseph.boden@otago.ac.nz
Drug and Alcohol Dependence
|October 22, 2011
Summary
Alcohol misuse is linked to increased rates of violent offending and intimate partner violence (IPV). This causal association suggests alcohol use disorder contributes significantly to these violent behaviors in the population.
Area of Science:
- Public Health
- Criminology
- Psychiatry
Background:
- Examined associations between alcohol abuse/dependence (AAD) and violent offending/intimate partner violence (IPV).
- Utilized a New Zealand birth cohort up to age 30.
Purpose of the Study:
- To investigate the relationship between alcohol misuse and violent behaviors.
- To quantify the contribution of alcohol use disorder to violence and IPV.
Main Methods:
- Assessed violent offending, victimization, and IPV perpetration/victimization.
- Included measures of AAD symptoms and time-dynamic covariates (stress, substance use, unemployment).
- Employed conditional fixed effects regression modeling to control for confounding factors.
Main Results:
- Individuals with five or more AAD symptoms showed significantly higher rates of violence outcomes (1.91-3.58 times higher) after adjustments.
- Associations between AAD symptoms and physical IPV victimization were not statistically significant after controlling for confounders.
- Unadjusted rates for violence outcomes were 4.10 to 11.85 times higher for those with five or more AAD symptoms.
Conclusions:
- Suggests a causal link between alcohol misuse and violent offending, victimization, and IPV perpetration.
- Estimates indicate alcohol use disorder accounted for 4.6-9.3% of violent offending/victimization and IPV perpetration in the cohort.
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